"Human, when are we going to see the sea?"
Motomu took off his jacket, hung it on the rack, and walked into the kitchen to pour a glass of water.
Looking at the black-haired girl on the sofa who had completely adapted to human life, Motomu felt a bit dazed for a moment.
A few months ago, this thing was still trembling in Ryuchi Cave, nearly beaten to death by Snake Princess.
Now, she was watching TV and lounging on the sofa, looking more like a modern person than he did.
"After I've finished dealing with the matters at Ryuchi Cave."
Motomu took a sip of water, answering Anko, who was eagerly looking forward to the trip.
"The White Snake Sage hasn't made a move, and I'm not at ease."
Anko was sitting at the dining table, organizing her Senjutsu training notes for the day.
She wore khaki loungewear, her hair tied back casually with a few purple strands falling by her ears.
Hearing Motomu's words, she looked up.
"Motomu, are you going to Ryuchi Cave again?"
"I have to go check on things."
Motomu set the water glass on the table.
Over the past month, he had been selectively telling Anko things about Ryuchi Cave.
"I can't just keep waiting for them to come knocking."
Anko put down her pen, her small brow furrowing slightly.
"Be careful."
"Yeah."
Half an hour later.
*Drip!*
A bone-chillingly cold drop of water fell from a stalactite into a puddle on the ground.
Motomu took a deep breath of the damp air in Ryuchi Cave.
That familiar smell.
He was back.
The Cobra, who had been busy watching TV, was summoned back.
Motomu skillfully mounted Big Eyeball and flew quietly into the deep cave.
Nothing happened along the way.
Motomu even managed to harvest some vitality from the snakes along the path.
When he reached the core area of Ryuchi Cave and arrived at the pool he had seen before...
He finally found traces of Snake Princess.
At that moment, two Snake Princesses were supporting the White Snake Sage as they walked out of the pool.
Motomu looked at the White Snake Sage's pale, aging face.
Doubt rose within him.
'The White Snake Sage looks seriously injured!'
'Could it be that she was faking it back then?'
'It was just a direct hit from a Tailed Beast Bomb. For someone of the Sage class, that should have been a piece of cake, right?'
Motomu knew that now was the time for some trash talk to do its work.
When Motomu spotted the White Snake Sage's group, they spotted him too.
Just as she was about to cough, the White Snake Sage forced the cough back down.
Her already sallow complexion turned even more unsightly.
'This human actually dared to invade Ryuchi Cave?'
'Does he really think this is still the ninja world?'
"Yo, if it isn't the White Snake Sage."
"Haven't seen you in a few days. Why are you so pathetic now?"
The White Snake Sage's pupils constricted, and her old face darkened.
She tried to stand up straight but couldn't help coughing a few times. The flecks of blood she coughed up splattered on the rocks, corroding several small pits.
"Human."
"You dare pursue us here."
"Pursue?"
"No, no, no!"
"I just want to be beaten to death by all of you, or beat all of you to death."
Ichikishimahime blocked the way in front of the White Snake Sage, her oval face instantly contorting to reveal her snake-like features.
The appearances of the Snake Princesses were quite similar; they seemed to come from the same tribe.
"Human, this isn't the ninja world. This is Ryuchi Cave."
"Here, your only option is to run for your life."
"Oh?"
'Are they ready to make a move?'
'Staying in human form won't give any experience.'
'I need to provoke them more.'
Motomu slipped into Big Eyeball's mouth.
"Perfect. Come at me."
"Sister, this guy killed Tagitsu Hime and even caused the Great Sage to be injured..."
"Let's attack together and kill him!"
"Fine!"
White scales sprouted rapidly across their bodies.
In less than three seconds, two giant white snakes appeared beside the old woman who was the White Snake Sage.
Just as they were about to attack...
The White Snake Sage raised her hand to stop the two Snake Princesses.
She slowly straightened her back, and the overwhelming pressure of her Senjutsu Chakra flooded the area, causing the floor of the cave to crack slightly.
"Human, what exactly do you want?"
The White Snake Sage's pupils stared intently at Motomu.
"If you just want to stay alive, I can guarantee that Ryuchi Cave will no longer hunt you."
Motomu was stunned for a moment.
'No longer hunting me?'
'Is the White Snake Sage chickening out?'
'That wouldn't do. I was counting on them for experience points. If the White Snake Sage took this attitude, I'd feel a bit embarrassed.'
"A month ago in the desert, you didn't have this attitude. Back then, you wanted to tear me into ten thousand pieces. Why the sudden change of heart?"
Hearing this, the White Snake Sage's dark expression actually began to calm down.
'She was badly injured.'
'Worse than she looked.'
'The Tailed Beast Bomb from the One-Tail Shukaku was no joke.'
'Although she had endured it, the energy composing a Tailed Beast contained natural energy.'
'Being hit by an attack containing a massive amount of natural energy was far more severe than any number of attacks from this human.'
'The disorder of natural energy.'
'The backlash of Senjutsu Chakra.'
'Combined with her previous exhaustion, the fact that she could even stand and talk was a feat of sheer will.'
'She had to drive him away quickly.'
'Although for some reason this human seemed weaker after coming to Ryuchi Cave, he wasn't someone the two Snake Princesses could easily handle.'
'If he discovered her weakened state, things would turn disastrous.'
'It would be better to use all her remaining strength to seal him underground.'
Acting on the thought, the White Snake Sage began to secretly accumulate power.
[MILOTIC (LEVEL 40) HAS ACCEPTED YOUR PROVOCATION]
[DING!]
[CONGRATULATIONS TRAINER, YOU HAVE TRIGGERED GYM BOSS CHALLENGE 3/5!]
[THIS CHALLENGE IS AN OFFICIAL GYM BATTLE. UPON VICTORY, YOU WILL RECEIVE A SMALL EXPERIENCE BONUS AND RANDOM ITEM REWARDS (TWISTED SPOON 3%... 4.22% PROBABILITY OF EVOLUTION STONE DROPPING).]
Challenger: Motomu
Current Gym: Ryuchi Cave Gym (Level 40-50 Area)
Target: Milotic (Trainer Ichikishimahime), Milotic (Trainer Tagorihime), White Snake Sage
Challenge Level: LV.40-LV.53
Recommended Challenge Level: LV.40-LV.69
Motomu felt a surge of joy as he heard the three system prompts.
The mission to trigger battle notifications was complete.
Even if he lost now, he had gained plenty.
Feeling the increasingly powerful pressure coming from the White Snake Sage...
Motomu felt he had been deceived by her "about to drop dead" expression. This lady still had plenty of kick in her!
It seemed she was terrified by how he used the Dragon Vein, which is why she hadn't pursued him into the ninja world.
For now, retreating was the priority.
Her level rating inside Ryuchi Cave could reach over level 60.
The ultimate move she would release in a state of total rage would undoubtedly be terrifying.
After sending a summoning notification to the Cobra...
Motomu had to wait a while.
The Cobra should still be watching TV right now.
He had to wait until she went to the forest outside before he could cancel the summoning.
As for the reason...
Preventing Big Eyeball from wrecking the house when it was released was one part, but mostly, Motomu didn't know how to explain this thing to Anko.
And in those few seconds while he was waiting...
A sudden change occurred!
The White Snake Sage spat out a large mouthful of blood.
As the world spun...
Motomu felt Big Eyeball, which he was piloting, instantly lifted by the rising ground.
The elevated Big Eyeball smashed several stalactites on the ceiling before being wedged firmly into the rock.
Before Motomu could resist...
In the darkness, after a moment of weightlessness, gravity seemed to flip, pressing Motomu down from above.
With no outside vision and no way to perceive anything...
Relying only on the change in gravity...
Motomu knew that he was currently stuck in the rock layers, plummeting toward the depths.
No.
"Plummeting" wasn't the right word.
It was as if he were in a gravity elevator, being swept along by the rock layers toward the center of the earth.
Damn it!
The White Snake Sage wants to shove me into the underground magma layer!
Big Eyeball has high physical defense, but its magic defense isn't high!
If we fall in there, it's over!